It's official: Frankie Edgar is the No. 1 UFC lightweight contender.Dana White confirmed with MMA Fighting Tuesday that Edgar will receive the next 155-pound title shot against champion BJ Penn. There had been talk of Gray Maynard facing Penn next, but in a video interview shot Tuesday in New York City, White said he didn't think Maynard was 100% ready to fight for the title just yet.
The UFC president added that the tentative plan was for the title fight to happen in Abu Dhabi in April, but that the UFC 112 event in the Middle East is still not officially confirmed.
The organization announced on Tuesday that Flash Entertainment, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi government, had purchased a 10% stake of Zuffa, the parent company of UFC and WEC.
Edgar is 11-1, and recently defeated Matt Veach last month. His only loss came against Maynard in April 2008. He holds wins over the likes of Sean Sherk, Tyson Griffin, Hermes Franca and Jim Miller.
Maynard defeated Nate Diaz on Monday via split decision. "The Bully" is 9-0 with 1 no contest.
White also said that he hoped Anderson Silva would fight Vitor Belfort for the middleweight title on the same card. Renzo Gracie vs. Matt Hughes is also expected to take place on the April card.
White talked about the how the sale came about, the future of the company, the latest on Brock Lesnar's heatlh status, and much more in the video, which will be posted on MMA Fighting Tuesday evening.
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
frankie hope you put on a show, im from NJ and been to Tom's River plenty of times, so i got no choice but to root for you too, try ya best man, BJ's a creature.. Good luck to the both of you!
I would have liked to see an Edgar/Florian fight first. I am not sure there is a lightweight anywhere on the planet that can give the BJ Penn we saw last month a good fight. Just ask Diego Sanchez. He is still licking the wounds to his body and especially to his previously overinflated ego. Not sure where Diego goes from here. Moving to 155 and getting totally dominated was not good for his future prospects. Even in his two lightweight victories he never knocked out or submitted either. The only match that might generate interest and $$ would be a rematch with Florian.
Diego woulda done fine if he wasn't given the fight so damn early, the man drops down to 155 and 1 match later gets a effing title shot? Wtf? I guess thats what happens when Penn calls up someone instead of them earning it.
Im pulling for Edgar, gettin tired of Penn, time for him to go in my opinion
Padussy: You are living in Oz bubba. Diego dropped to 155 of his own choice as he knew there was not a title shot for him at 170 after losing twice. He also fought twice at 155 before the title fight with BJ Penn and did not submit or knock out either Joe Daddy or Clay Guida. Diego is a ho hum fighter who though he could bully his way through the 155 weight class. His future is now questionable. He cannot show his face at 170 again after the beating he took from a lightweight. He will also never get a title at 155 so long as BJ Penn is around. He could drop to 145 and get thumped again by Aldo or he could get a sex change, change his name to NIGHT-MARIE and try the ladies division. I think Cyborg Santos can take him.
guidos everywhere will be fist pumping like champs!
Sigh. Didn't BJ just dismantle another wrestler turned boxer a few months ago? It sucks when a division has nothing to offer a champion. At least there's only two in the organization at the moment. Lyoto's been exposed and Brock's sidelined, so it's just down to the Middleweight, Lightheavy and Welter. I see Silva and GSP losing their belts before BJ though . . . the guy's scary at 155.
i think edgar will give penn a good fight, edgar has better boxing skills, but i dont think he has the size to pull it off. i think penn is too big for him. if i turned the volume on i woln't be surprised to hear rogan's disbelief when edgar keeps the fight in the middle.
I saw frankie edgar on true life where they were documenting mma fighters..and ya i saw that fight where he had his first lost against maynard. but ya best of luck to edgar..i think penn might just manhandle him in the first round.im thinking submission 2nd round 4 penn.
lol, im sorry man i dnt see any1 any time soon takin that belt, diego sanchez is a monster and got DECIMATED by penn. hes too quick, and too strong, edgars got no shot.